The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #40098 Message #3662274
Posted By: Steve Gardham
20-Sep-14 - 06:29 PM
Thread Name: Lyr Add: The Scarlet and the Blue
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: SCARLET AND THE BLUE
Looked at several threads on this one and apart from a few unverified references to John J Blockley the original still seems to be lacking.
All of the Blockley references seem to be traced back to some Bert Lloyd sleevenotes where he claims it was by Blockley and popularised by Ed Harrigan. I have looked at many sheets by Blockley and Harrigan and Hart and the lists on the back of the sheets make no reference to the various titles this songs goes under. The Merry Ploughboy The Warwickshire RHA The Scarlet and the Blue.
(There was a WWI song called 'The Scarlet and the Blue' but that's a different song.)
Whilst the 1870 date looks very likely, in all my searches for the sheet music I have drawn a blank. Not even a broadside.